Outside cover for cabinets and other objects



A. R. JOHNSON March 18, 1952 OUTSIDE COVER FOR CABINETS AND OTHER OBJECTS Filed Oct. 30, 1946 Patented Mar. 18, 1952 OUTSIDE COVER FOR CABINETS AND OTHER OBJECTS Albert R. J ohnson; Springfield, Mass. Application October, 30, 1946, Serial No. 706,588

Claims. (Q1. 312-204) This'invention is an improvement in outside coverings, and particularly to outside coverings for cabinets and other articles of furniture or j" similar'object's makingup the appointments of a room or apartment,

v The principal object'ofthis invention i to pro- 1 vide a removable coverin which embraces frame work and'pane1s,'in movable sections, with suitacre; fastening'devices to enable the covering to be'detachably mounted upon the exterior of a cabinet, for example; the covering bearing an out-'- 'side "layer of material having color and finish to harmonize with the general appearance and decor 'of the surroundings.

a A further object of the invention i to provide a covering adapted to be easily mountedon an article :of furniture or the like, which can be quickly produced and completed at moderate ex pense in artistic form and readiness for use.

The nature and advantages of the invention are set forth in the ensuing description; but the structure shown in the drawings is only one em- I bodiment of the invention. In practice various changes may be made without departing from the essential combination of parts defined in the appended claims.

I On the drawings: Figure 1 is a frontview of a cabinet having a covering according to my invention thereon. Figure 2 is a section on line 2 2 of Figure l; Figure 3 is a vertical section on line 3-3 of Figure 2;

'E'igtire 4 isa detail in section showing how the ends of the cover come together behind the cabinet; Figure 5 is a top view of a modification; and Figures 6 and 7 are a front view in part and an end view thereof. a V ,The numeral l indicates a cabinet, such as is used forhousing radio sets .or phonographs; and 2 the covering of this invention on the exterior thereof. ,1 The cabinet in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 is presented as oval, is cross-sectional shape; and maybe mounted on legs, feet or other supports. Usually radio and other cabinets are produced in only a few tones or colors; and thus fail to blend with the colors ofmany places in which they are kept; My invention eliminates this objection; because the covering can be manufactured in any tone, shade orcolor; and with any selected picture, design, symbol, scene, or combination thereon. If the effect is properly chosen and executed, it will agree withithe walls, rugs and other furnishings of the apartment to an extent that will satisfy the taste of the most fastidious owner.

' The covering includes a framework made up of verical bars 3 in front and 31" in back, united by horizontal members 4, fashioned to conform to the outside of the unit to which it i to be attached. The spaces between the vertical bars and members 4 are filled with sheetsofsuitable materia1, .such as fiberlor plastic, united to the bars andmembers along their edges, and servin as panels 5. The latter will be overlaid with cloth 6 or other material, of the required hues, and

2 this outer layer will even to some extent improve the acoustic properties of the set.

The covering is attached by means of prongs or hooks i on the bars 3] and 31', and these hooks engage apertures in lugs 8 that can be afiixed to theto'utside of the cabinet. The hooks point downward, so that the covering can easily be lowered into engaging position. The lugs are mounted on posts 9 of the cabinet. The covering is secured by means of screws H1 passing through the wall of'th'e cabinet at one or more points into threaded socket elements ll secured to parts of the framework. The'ends i2 of the members 4 and the adjacent edges of the bars 3r are bevelled and overlap at the rear of the cabinet, and each of these rearbars has one of the hook I to hold it fast. Thecovering thus can be mounted without difficulty and no tool except an ordinary screw driveris. needed. It is turned out with the outside layenfffi in color and finish to bring the cabinet, no matter what is its original effect, into agreement with the appearance of the room; and it can 'be taken off with the same case and quickness if necessary. The covering is very simple in construction, and can be manufactured in a short time. and at little expense.

afront and two side sections in horizontal alinement which come together at their rear ends.

The bars 31' at the back are wider than the bars ,members 4. 'overg-ithe bevelled edges of the bars 31' and at screwslfi and sockets l1.

3! in front. A prong 1 is on each of the bars 3r near the middle of its length, or elsewhere for example, and this prong or hook enters a lu 8 'l'owe'r'ends of the vertical bars 3f and 31 are bevelled, to present larger surfaces Of contact I5 for joining them together. They can be secured in any suitable manner by an adhesive or other means. The layer 6 is folded over the top and bottom members 4 of all the sections of the. covering, and attached by screws indicated at IS in metal sockets H in the bevelled faces of the Similarly the cloth may be folded tachedito the inner faces thereof by the same Binding strips l8 are used in combination with the screws it along the inner faces of the bars 37'. The covering thus 'sriugly envelops the cabinet, and is held nicely in position. The outside layer 6 canbe allin' one piece if desired; and it overlies the luing The-'middle section of the cabinet in front can 3 have an opening H3 in the panel sheet 5 and layer 6 thereof for the sound horn or loud speaker, and inside the cabinet may have one or more shelves 20 for mounting the operating parts. At the top is a lid or hinged closure 2!. Legs are indicated at 22.

The panels 5 can be permanently mounted in the frame work or be held detachably in'place by the layer 6 or otherwise. j

Figures 5, 6 and '7 show a form of the invention for a cabinet la that is rectangular instead of oval in its horizontal outline. It comprises a front section 23, to which side sections 24 and rear sections 25 are connected ateach end. The sections 24 are each joined tothe front sections 23 by hinges 26, but the sections 25 are rigid with the sections 24 and at right angles thereto. Sections 25 have bevelled overlapping edges, as described above. This covering will be of the desired height, and may be made with each of the sections all in one piece, or with vertical bars and horizontal frame members joined together and bearing panels to fill the enclosed spaces as before. It will also be attached to the cabinet by hooks on the inner faces of the sections and lugs on the cabinet, but these are omitted from Figure 5 for the sake of convenience.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7, the covering 2 is preferably made to serve for only the lower half of the cabinet as indicated in Figures 6 and '7, the former showing half of the front view of this cabinet, the other half being identical. On the top of the cabinet, the closure 21 may be finished with a layer to match the appearance of the covering 2.

At the upper part of the cabinet where the control knobs 29 are placed, separate panels 28 may be attached to the cabinet, these panels being of the same color and appearance as the covering 2. The separate panels 28 may have openings on their inner faces and on the outside of the cabinet may be pegs (not shown) which enter these openings so that the panels 28 are supported in position. The spindles of the knobs pass through openings, and the knobs 29 prevent the detachment of the panels 28.

The invention affords a great reduction in the cost of manufacture of the cabinets. The use of materials other than wood in the frame and removable panels is permitted. As they are covered with fabrics the material. used for the frames is not exposed to view. The covering of Figure 5 can be used with the cabinet of Figuresfiand 7-.

The framework and removable panels can be recovered at any time, and as many times as l. A covering for the exterior of an object of a color diiierent from its surroundings, said coverprising vertical bars and horizontal members connecting same, the horizontal members being in sections, said bars being arranged at the ends of the sections and at the opposed rear edges of the covering, hinges connecting the bars at the ends his own choosing, other than the fabrics used on themodels obtainable from the manufacturer. v

'By recovering the framework and removable panels with fabrics to match the wall covering, draperies or upholstery in the room they are to be used, the cabinets or objects-can fit harmoniouslyinto the decorative scheme of any room, 'in

contrast to the present situation where there is always a clash no matter what the design of the cabinet may be. .If the room should-be redecorated the frame and removable panels could be re-covered to match; 1 v

' Having described my invention, what 'Ibelieve to be new is:

of said sections, panels carried by said framework, and hooks mounted on the framework to engage apertured lugs on said object to mount the covering thereon, some of said bars having longitudinal recesses and said hooks being located in said recesses and terminating short of the innerfaces of said members.

2. A covering of the kind described in claim 1, wherein the bars and frame members at the rear of said object have bevelled overlapping ends, with some of said hooks near said ends, and the panels have an outside layer of cloth thereon,

some of the bars and frame members having socket elements on their inner faces and fasten ing members received in said elements to hold the layer in place.

3. A covering of the kind set forth in claim 1, which is made up of a front section, side sections hinged thereto, and'rear sections fixed to the-side sections, and overlapping at the ends thereof.

4. A covering for the exterior of an object of a different color from its surroundings, said cover: ing having a finish to harmonize with said surroundings, and comprising vertical bars and horizontal members connecting same, the bars and members forming sections, hinges to attach saidsections together, some of said bars being located along adjacent edges of the sections and bearing thehinges and the remainder extending along the opposed rear edges of the covering, the bars for the rearof said object .being bevelled along their adjacent edges to overlap, panels carried by said sections, an outer layer upon panels, the edges of said layer being folded over .upon the uppermost and lowermost of said members and the bevelled edges of the bars'at the rear, fastening devices to secure said edges, and means comprising hooks .on said bars and members to secure the covering upon the cabinet, the bars bearing the hinges having longitudinal recesses in which said hooksv are mounted, the hooks terminating short of the inner faces of said members, said framework having socket elements on its inner face receiving said fastening devices.

5. The cover as set forth in claim 1, wherein said horizontal members of said framework are curved to correspond to an object which has a rounded contour.

ALBERT R. JOHNSON.

asrsnsnons CITED The following references are-of recordin the file of this patentt- UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Apr. 17, 1935 

